Dental floss holder



Aug. 6, 1929. R. w. CAMMACK DENTAL FLoss HOLDER Filed Oct. 30. 192B iwan/nto@ Rabert Wammac amt! atented ug. 6, 1929..

STATES- PATENT OFFICE :DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER.

Application led October 30, 1928. Serial No. 315,993.

` My invention relates to dental floss holders designed for holding a' strand of dental oss taut and in a convenient manner to be readily inserted between the teeth for re. a moving food particles and the like lodged therebetween. The present invention is an im rovement over that shown shown in my prior patent #1,588,307, granted June', 1926. Among the objects of the present 1n-l io vention is to provide a simplified device of this character wherein none of the floss comes in contact with the holder after it has heen soiled or used, and also toprovidea more conveniently located cut-off, all as will la be hereinafter more specilically described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar no parts, n v

Figure 1 is an enlarged part sectional part elevational View,

Figure 2, an enlarged detail, y

Figures 3, d and 5, enlarged longitudinal 25 sectional views of modified forms..

As shown in the drawings my invention comprises a curved body or head and a hollow handle 11 which forms a magazine for dental floss. The curved body or head 3U* 10 is provided with spaced vprojections or prongs 12 and 13 across the extremities of 4which a strand of dental floss 14 is adapted to be tightly stretched. The curved body or head 10 is provided with an internally :a threaded receiving socket 15 for the reception of the reduced externally threaded eX- tremity 16 of the handle 11, the bottom of the socket and the extremity of the handle being complementarily formed for engaglng au and firmly holding dental floss therebetween.

The holder 10 is provided with an opening or passage 17 for dental floss which is disposed yin alignment with the handle and terminates at the exterior of the head on i5 the side remote from said handle. A passage 18 is located substantially at right angles to the passage 17 and terminates at the extremity of the prong 12. The inner portion of the extremity of the prong 1s proao vided with a groove 19 which is in alignment with a groove 20 in the opposite prong 13 in order to maintain the floss in proper position when it is drawn across the cooperating prongs. The handle 11 is prono vided with a hollow interior 21 for receiving the dental floss, and in order to facilitate the insertion of the floss into the handle the rear end of the handle is 'provided with a removable closure plug or cap 22.

The reduced threaded portion 16 of the handle is provided with a transverse aperture 23, which enables the floss to be threaded outwardly through, said aperture and around the end of the handle where it may be clamped tightly in position between the end of the handle and the bottom of the receiving socket 15. I In threading the device for use, floss is inserted in the rear end of the handle by removal of the cap 22LL and with the handle separated from the head the floss is threaded 4laterally through -the aperture 23 over the threads of the projecting end 16 and through the longitudinal passageway 17 to the exterior of the head. It is next threaded through the transverse passage 18 to the extremity of the prong 12, across to the opposed prong 13 and caught between the shoulder on the handle' and the abutting surface of the head as the handle is screwed into the head. The reduced portion of the handle is slightly longer than its receiving socket in order to permit the floss to be engaged between the end of the handle and the socket before it is received between the shoulder on the handle and the head. The floss may be pinched at both ends simultanelously or at the point of entering slightly before it is pinched at the other end after it has crossed the space between the prongs. On account of it being caught between the end of the handle and the head the floss is prevented from further pulling outof the handle and b being caught between the shoulder on t e handle and the head the other end is held so that the floss is maintaind tightly stretched across the co-operating prongs 1 2 and 13 in a position to be most advantageously used. The grooves 19 and 20 prevent the floss from slipping off the ends ofthe prongs out of the above described position. When the device is threaded the floss may be advanced by'giving the handle substantially a quarter turn to loosen the same or to relieve the clamping action between the end of the handle and the head, whereupon the end of the floss may be pulled to perform the advancing action and the handle tightened by screwing into the head, when the device is again ready 1o has its top for use. It is not necessary to re-thread until the oss is exhausted or becomes broken, and it is never necessary to handle the floss prior to its use, but after it has been used 5 it can be cut olf and discarded.

As shown in Figure 2, I have provided a cut-offI pin 24, located in a depression 25,l

in the handle. The cut-off pin is preferably located in`close proximit to the head and flush with tile surface of lthe handle, so that substantially the only port1on of the floss exposed is the portion intended to be inserted between the teeth.

In the modified forms of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3, 4vand 5, I have shown sage 27 which conforms in curvature substantially to the curvature of the head 26.

' In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a handle 28 of slightly modified form, which includes a slightly different type of thread on 'a` reduced extending threaded portion 29, with a socket or flared mouth portion adapted to receive a convex projection 30 on the head 31. The head 31. is provided lwith a longitudinal passage 32 disposed in off-set relation to the passage of the handle, whereby the floss may be clamped firmly where it emerges from the handle. The head is provided with a curved groove 33 disposed valong the exterior of the leg 34 of the head,

so that the -floss` is exposed at the remote side of' each of the legs of the head.

' In Fig. 5 ,I have shown a head 35 similar to that of 3, but formed for t-he reception of the handle 28 shown in Fig. 4.

Such head being identical to that shown in Fie'. 4, with the exception of the floss passage 36, which is curved similar to the passage 27 of Fig. 3.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the 60 art lthat various changes may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I,` therefore, do not limit myself to what is shown inthe draw ings and described in the specification, but

only as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what 'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A dentalfloss holder comprising a head havingspaced transversely disposed prongs,

one of said prongs beingprovided with a l\straight side surface formmg the extremity of the head, a socket in said straight side surface of the head, a assage from the socket to the extremity'o y the other prong,

a floss 'carrying handle threaded into said socket and havin-g a shoulder, and floss clamped by the handle against the socket in the head and extending through the head across the prongs and having its end clamped between the shoulder of the handle 'and the flat surface of the head, substantially asset forth. i

2.! A dental floss holder comprising a head V having a pair of spaced prongs, a socket in said head at the outer side of one of the prongs, the outer side of the prong adjacent said socket being relatively strai ht, a passage through the head from sai socket to the extremity ofthe remote prong, and a handle threaded into said socket, substantially as set forth.

A floss holder comprising a head having spaced prongs, a handle connected to the head at the base of o e of the prongs, dental floss extending thro gh said head to the forward prong and acrosssaid prongs and clamped between the handle and the head adjacent the rearmost prong, said floss bein adapted 'to be advanced through t-he head and across from the forward to the rear prong and cut off as it is used, whereby used floss is prevented from contact wit the holder, substantiallyas set forth.

4.' A holder for dental floss comprising a head having a pair of spaced prongs and a socket for the reception of a handle, a handle having a portion adaptedto yenter the socket in the head, said handle being provided with a pocket for the reception of dental floss, a passage in said head from the bottom of the socket to the extremity of the remoteprong, whereby dental floss may be threaded from the interior of the handle through the passage in the head across the prongs and engaged between the handle and the head in position to be clamped firmly in 'place, substantially as set forth.

5. A dental floss holder comprising a head having a pair of spaced prongs, a floss carrying handle attached to said head, means for detachably connecting the handle to the head, a passageway for dental floss extending through the head from the point of contact between the handle and the head, dental floss in the handle extending from the point of contact between the handle and the head and forwardly through the said passageway and rearwardly to a position to be clamped between the abutting surfaces on the head andthe handle, the floss being advanced through the handle prior to its use and adapted to be cut off after it is used thereby preventing soiling of the holder, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at New York, New York, this 24th day of October, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-eight.

ROBERT W'ALTER CAMMACK. 

